Movies: Past, present and future

After 'Puss in Boots,' momentum for another Del Toro animated pic

October 31, 2011 | 9:18am

EXCLUSIVE: With "Puss in Boots" this weekend, Guillermo del Toro showed that he can successfully steer a family hit. Now "Puss" studio DreamWorks Animation is giving a vote of confidence to another Del Toro-godfathered animated movie, a doll-themed tale that's based on a hit short titled "Alma."

The studio is moving forward with the feature version of "Alma," hiring Megan Holley to pen the script, according to a person familiar with the project who asked not to be identified because the film is still in development. Holley is a well-regarded young screenwriter best known for penning the indie hit "Sunshine Cleaning."

"Alma" will be helmed by Rodrigo Blaas, a former Pixar animator who has come over to DreamWorks Animation to work on the film. (He also made the short, which you can watch below.) Del Toro will offer guidance similar to the kind he offered on "Puss," on which he contributed key notes and feedback (he was officially credited as an executive producer).

When it premiered online, "Alma" became a mini-sensation, attracting attention for its sharp visuals and its conceit of a child who wanders into a creepy doll store and ends up in a compromised situation. The feature, the person said, will be a lot more family oriented--and, if DreamWorks Animation has its way -- plenty "Puss in Boots"-like at the box office.